The Seventh Sign appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.35:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Though it occasionally showed its age, the transfer came with strengths as well.
On the negative side, edge haloes cropped up in wide shots, and those could become a minor distraction. I also saw a mix of specks and marks throughout the film. While never heavy, they showed up a little more often than I’d prefer.
Otherwise, the image satisfied. Even with the haloes, sharpness usually looked tight and concise, while I saw no signs of jaggies or moiré effects.
In terms of palette, Sign opted for a fairly low-key impression that leaned toward browns and earth tones. These didn’t leap off the screen but they replicated the source in an appropriate manner.
Blacks appeared dark and tight, while shadows seemed smooth and well-rendered. If not for the moderate impact of the print flaws and edge haloes, this would’ve been a top-notch presentation.
As for the film’s DTS-HD MA 2.0 soundtrack, it maintained a modest impact. Actually, stereo imaging worked very well at times, especially in terms of music, as the score spread nicely across the front channels.
Effects also used these domains pretty well. The movie didn’t boast a ton of impactful auditory scenes, but the mix managed to blend the material well as these components used the forward speakers in a concise manner.
Audio quality seemed positive, with speech that appeared natural and concise. Music demonstrated nice range and clarity as well.
Effects felt well-rendered, with material that was accurate and reasonably full. I can’t claim the soundtrack offered much to impress, but it held up pretty well after 30 years.
In addition to two TV spots, the disc’s extras revolve around a mix of interviews. In the first, we get an 11-minute, 10-second reel with actor Michael Biehn.
Biehn discusses how he got his role as well as experiences during the shoot and his impression of the film. Biehn proves to be frank and funny in this enjoyable piece.
Next we find a chat with director Carl Schultz that goes for 20 minutes, 21 seconds. He covers aspects of his career as well as his involvement on Sign.
Schultz brings a nice overview of the production. It’s too bad he didn’t sit for a full commentary, as he seems engaging and informative.
We hear from screenwriters Clifford and Ellen Green during their 30-minute, one-second conversation. They talk about the project’s origins and development as well as aspects of the script and why they chose to use pseudonyms for it. This becomes another useful look at the production and some controversies.
Two actors fill out the last interview slots, as we hear from Peter Friedman (20:13) and John Taylor (10:52). Clifford and Ellen Green also appear during the Taylor reel.
In their programs, the actors examine aspects of their careers, characters and performances. Both offer some good information, though Friedman’s chat becomes the stronger of the two by a wide margin.
Given its apocalyptic subject matter, The Seventh Sign boasts the potential to deliver a thriller experience. Unfortunately, it never capitalizes on its inherent strengths, so it turns into a sluggish, dull tale. The Blu-ray brings us generally positive picture and audio as well as a small roster of informative supplements. Sign never becomes anything involving.